Hochschwab Mountains

Do not underestimate the snowdrifts on north slopes of Main Alpine Ridge!

The snowpack was able to settle adequately. An older snowdrift layer is usually deposited atop a melt-freeze crust, inside the drifted layer are soft layer which are weak. The ground-level layer is moist up to high altitudes. Otherwise the snowpack at high altitude is wind-compacted, or windblown and hard.

Friday’s mountain weather will be variable: mostly clouds will dominate, fog will severely limit visibility. Snowfall unlikely, clouds dispersing in the afternoon. Light to moderate northerly winds. At 2000 m: -4 degrees.

Mostly sunny weather on Saturday. Brisk NW winds. Higher temperatures. No significant change is expected.

Do not underestimate the snowdrifts on north slopes of Main Alpine Ridge!

Avalanche danger is low. Avalanches prone locations are found esp. on north-facing slopes where small-to-medium slab avalanches can be triggered by large additional loading. Particularly in the Planneralm to Styrian Kalkspitze, larger snowdrift accumulations on north-facing slopes can be expected, lying deposited in gullies and bowls as well as behind abrupt discontinuities in the terrain.